Brake actuating trailer coupling



Aug. 2, 1938. F. L. WATSON BRAKE ACTUAIING TRAILER COUPLING Filed May 29, 1937 Attorneys I Patented Aug. 2, 1938 I M 9 z res os icE BRAKE ACTUATING TRAILER COUPLING Frank L. Watson, Walled Lake, Mich. Application May 29, 1937, Serial No. 145,613

3 Claims. (Cl. 188-142) The present invention relates to trailer coua plate l5 slidably positioned within the forward plings and has for its principal'object to provide end of the tubular member and engaged by a means associated therewith for actuating the set screw l6 threaded through a bracket I1 sebrake of the trailer upon a relative decrease in cured to the front end of the tubular member,

5 the momentum of the pulling vehicle, as by the said set screw being operable. to move the plate 5 application of the brakes thereof, or by an ini5 longitudinally within the tubular member ill crease in the momentum of the trailer relative to adjust. the tension of the spring l3. A look to the pulling vehicle, as by traveling downnut I8 is provided for the set screw to secure-the grade. same in adjusted position.

'. 10 One of the important objects of the present To the underside of the forward end of the 10 invention is to provide a trailer coupling of this tubular member I0 is secured a ball If! clamped character embodying a pair of telescoping couwithin a socket 2|] secured to a bracket 2| having pling members having spring means for mainan upturned forward end 22 for securing the taining the same in projected position and havsame to a pulling vehicle.

]5 ing a hydraulic brake actuating cylinder oper- To one side of the sleeve 6, adjacent its foratively associated therewith to apply the brakes ward end, is arranged a pair of upstanding of the trailer upon a telescoping movement of brackets 23 to which a hydraulic brake cylinder the members. M is secured, said brake cylinder being of con- A further object is to provide a device of this ventional construction and having a flexible pipe character of simple and practical construction, 25 attached to its rear end and a piston rod 26 20 eflicient and reliable in operation, relatively inexprojecting from t forward end for actuating pensive to manufacture and otherwise well adaptth usual piston t i t cylinder for th d for e p p for Which the Same is purpose of applying fluid pressure to the brake tended- I of the trailer through the pipe 25. The forward 25 other obJects and advantages reside the end of the piston rod is threaded and inserted 25 tails f construction and operation as more fully through an opening in the bracket n and hereinafter described and claimed, reference bejustably Secured thereto by nuts A flexible mg had to the acfompanymg drawing forming -cover 29 encloses the piston rod adjacent the part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like cylindelx- Under normal operating conditions 30 parts throughout and in which: the various parts will occupy a position as shown 30 Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through the coupling m Figure 1 of the drawing with thepm I2 00 cupying a position at the rear end of the slot fg i ig ss ig gig vlew of the remov' ll of the tubular member ill, in which position Figure a top plan View of the coupling with the brakes of the traller will be released Upon 3d the hydraulic brake operating cylinder removed. lelatlve .forward {movement of the trainer the Figure 4 is an end View of the coupling sleeve 6 will be pro ected forwardly agalnst the Referring now to the drawing in detail, where-- of e sprmg whereby the Plston in for the purpose ofillustration I have dis Q Wm caused to move rearwardly h 93/1" 40 closed a preferred. embodiment ofthe invention, mder m a manner to cause an appllcatlon of the numeral 5 designates a coupling generally the which embodies an outer sleeve member 6 havwhen It deslrfxi F back up the tml'ler ing openings 1 adjacent its rear end for receivremofable P 1S Inserted through aligned ing bolts 8 to secure the trailer tongue 9 in posiopenmgs in the sleeve 5 immedlately tion in the rear end of the sleeve. A'tubular Wardly of Q- end of the tubular member 45 coupling member i0 is telescopically positioned whereby telescoping movement of the Parts is within the forward end of the sleeve 6, said tubupreventedlar member having aligned lotted openings II It is believed the details of construction and in its walls adjacent its inner end within which Operation of the device Will be readily un era pin i2 is positioned, said pin being fixedly se- Stood from the foregoing Without any further 50 cured to the sleeve Ii. detailed explanation.

An expansible coil spring I3 is positioned with- The present embodiment of the invention as in the tubular member in, the rear end of the been described in considerable detail merely for spring abutting a plate l4 which engages the the purposes of exemplification since in actual pin I2 and the front end of the spring abuts practice it attains the features of advantage enu- 55 with s 1. A trailer coupling comprising' a sleeve connected with the trailer, a tubular member telescopically mounted in the forward end of the sleeve, a pin and slot connection between the sleeve and tubular member, a coil spring mounted in the tubular member and bearing against the pin to yieldably maintain the same at the rear end of the slot, means connecting the tubu- .lar member to the pulling vehicle and a, hydraulic brake actuating mechanism fixedly secured to the sleeve and operatively connected to the tubular member for actuating the mechanism to apply the brakes upon a rearward movement of the tubular member relative to the sleeve.

2. A trailer coupling comprising a sleeve rigidly secured to the tow pole of the trailer, a tubular member telescopically mounted in the forward end of the sleeve, a pin and slot connection between the sleeve and tubular member, a coil spring mounted in the tubular member and bearing against the pin to yieldably maintain the same at the rear end of the slot, means for connecting the tubular member to the pulling vehicle, a hydraulic brake actuating cylinder fixedly secured to the sleeve, a piston rod projectingfrom the end of the cylinder and a bracket connecting the pistonrod to the tubular member for actuating the rod upon a rearward telescoping movement of the tubular member.

3. A trailer coupling comprising a sleeve rigidly secured to the tow pole of the trailer, a tubular member telescopically mounted in the forward end of the sleeve, a pin and slot connection between the sleeve and tubular member, a coil spring mounted in the tubular member and bearing against the pin to yieldably maintain the same at the rear end of the slot, means for connecting the tubular member to the pulling vehicle, a hydraulic brake actuating cylinder fixedly secured to the sleeve, a piston rod projecting from the end of the cylinder, a bracket connecting the piston rod to the tubular member for actuating the rod upon a rearward telescoping movement of the tubular member, and means movably carried by the sleeve for locking the tubular member against rearward movement.

FRANK L. WATSON. 

